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Problems getting started

Hello all,

I'm DEFINITELY a newb when it comes to linux. I have a machine that I don't use that currently has XP on it. I kind of want to convert it completely to linux (I don't use it for anything else, and everything on it has been backed up). I'm admittedly NOT all that computer savvy (but trying to be).

Anyways, I'm looking for a little help getting started. I started by downloading a Live CD of ubuntu 12.04. My computer doesn't want to boot it from the CD drive, so I went through the steps that it has you go through to install it inside Windows. It always ends with an error " NoneType object has no attribute 'get_info'." Googling this has led me to numerous threads and whatnot saying to try various alternative methods, but none of those have worked, and I get the same message trying a different flavor of Linux.

Can anyone help me out? Like I said, I don't even care about keeping dual boot, or running from a Live CD. I think I just want to completely get rid of Windows and only run Linux on this machine. I have another computer for work that has Windows, but I also use it for personal use, so I really don't care if this other machine is Linux only. Does anyone have a link to a good guide for making a complete switch, or just feel like helping me out? Remember, I'm a little slow, so just assume I need detailed instructions

Ok, well I got it to boot from CD. I think it just wasn't burned properly. After re-burning it from a different machine it worked.
Now my new problem is it doesn't seem to be installing fully. I used a Live CD to do the demo, then when I decided to do a full installation and remove windows, it went through the whole process. But now when I boot from HD again it just sits and does nothing. If I boot it from the CD it will start back up and ask again if I want to install or demo.
Any ideas on what I did? It seems to have successfully removed Windows, though...

I'm going to let it try to install one more time and let you know. Is there something I should watch for during the installation process?

For installing a new operating system into an existing hard disk one must have unallocated space for the system to reside in.

A MS Windows always by default uses the entire hard disk for its installation. Therefore one must "re-size" (to shrink it or change its size) a hard disk partition to create the necessary hard disk space. Most distro would be happily operating in say 30GB space whereas 10GB is about the minimum I would say for most reasonable system. In addition a Linux also need a swap partition as Linux does not need to be "defrag" like the XP because the use of a swap partition.

If you install a Linux then LInux will create its own partitions, format it to its own filing system and dual boot for you.

Thus whenever one says the installation does not work one must also ask has the hard disk been arranged for the new operating system to reside in? To say it bluntly does one know what partition the newly installed operating system is in now?

XP does not have any tool to resize its partition but Vista, Win7 and Win8 have a function in disk management to shrink a partition. Thus you might need the tool from Linux and it is called "Parted" and shipped with every Ubuntu. Have you instructed Ubuntu installer to use Parted?

Most newbies would not bother or have time to learn how Linux or any operating system is installed next to an existing MS Windows but the above is the basic you have to learn when playing with more than one operating system. It applies equally to every additional MS Windows you introduced into your XP so you might as well learn it now.